parkertrees

Bumping this thread regarding toppys... Whats everyone using for a bigger top handle? We've got 1/4pitch 2511ts and love them, but for the odd large rigging removal job it would be nice to have something a bit bigger, both power wise and bar wise (without hoiking a ground saw up) I used to have a husky T540xp mk1, was a terrific cutting saw when it wanted to run well, and felt really nice in the hand, but that wasn't often. After a year or so the thing was a bitch to start warm, and it finally ripped in half in my hand when it got snagged. Is the MK3 a better saw? or do people still have trouble with them? tried the Echo 362 and was a underwhelmed. The saw ran well enough, didnt set the world alight, but was nowhere as ergonomic as the 2511, and the smaller fuel caps that don't fit stihl spouts was a pain. Ive no doubt it would still be going trouble free had it not been nicked, but i didint rush to replace it. Stihl 201s i find underwhelming as well, and at almost twice the price of the big echo, i think they should be better. Looking at the Milwaukee battery saw too? anyone got one? TIA

Our 7 ton Iveco Daily weighs just under 4 ton with chipper (bandit 75), tools on and 3 blokes in the cab. Fully loaded with wet conifer chip it sits just about 7 ton. That's with a very strongly built aluminium plank and steel framed body, plus a separate toolbox. So it can carry 3 ton of woodchip in its 11.3 cubic meter body. From this one can work out that most 3.5 tonners are weighing (at least) 50% more than they should when heading to the tip. This is all fine until something happens.... A good mate of mine was in a collision the other day with a pedestrian who ran out in front of him for a bus.... the pedestrian sadly died at the scene. He wasn't speeding, overweight, on his phone or otherwise breaking the rules. The police have his pickup truck however, as its evidence in an upcoming hearing. Multiple witnesses say the pedestrian didn't look, and it wasn't my mates fault, but he's understandably distraught. This really reaffirmed my position on this subject. Now imagine you were in a transit tipper freighted with conifer. Speeding or not, even though the pedestrian literally ran out at the last minute and the collision was unavoidable, your looking at death by dangerous driving/manslaughter charges. For me the paperwork etc to run an HGV really is worth it. The trucks are easier to find in good condition due to the more stringent MOT etc. They're better vehicles all round, pull more, handle weight better, tougher running gear etc. The only down side is a bit more paperwork, and having to put your lads through their test. I mainly drive the truck, and if we take multiple vehicles, then my lad drives my 4x4 towing the Ifor or Arb digger, so i haven't bothered with this part anyway. Anyway, essay over... but food for thought!

We use the Stihl comms, really impressed with range and battery life etc. They've been a game changer

Looks similar shape to a Petzl Grillion (but far less shit) Keen to see this in its final form. ART seem to have something in the pipeline too

if you CAN, id go HGV. like @richy_B said, every 3.5 ton tipper on the road is overweight. I bought a 7ton daily with a big body (11.5 m3) on it, and it happens to have built in scales. with 2 men in, chainaws in the locker its 3.7 ton empty. Brim the body with chip and its 7ton bang on. the idea of running a 3.5ton one legally is virtually impossible unless you chip a bin full and go tip lol. O licence really isnt that much aggro, and insurance isn't bad either, only stumbling block is drivers, but if your a small team its not an issue.

Wasn't Reg also designing a mechanical friction device capable of Ddrt and SRT? He was testing it almost 2 years ago, but not heard a peep since?

we changed to the Stihl procom units. better noise protection plus coms units etc. expensive but well worth the money if your running any big machines

Lots of good nick 3.5 ton arb trucks about atm if you don't need ULEZ compliance.

Great for towing on and off site, shame about the need for a tacho... I'm sure with enough interest INEOS will find a workaround for that, they are receptive to customer requests. Here's mine towing the 2.7t Bob onto a soggy field. Absolutely love it!

Giving our Bandit 75xp some TLC today, need some touch up paint for the engine cover. Anyone know the paint code for Bandit yellow? all I've found online is BA900-9912-02, but this only brings back results from the USA, and only 2 sites at that. I was wondering whether it matched anything else here in the UK. Ill try ringing Global tomorrow as well.

Nice truck that, did you end up parting it? hard to find SWB 7.5 tonners, i was looking for a euro 6 chassis to drop my DAF LFs arb body onto a few months ago, but gave up.

Mate i've just read/seen your story for the first time. A real eye opener to anyone operating any dangerous machinery, sometimes we need to pause and think about the huge forces at work that we take so for granted. glad to see your recovering best wishes to you and your family Steve

I guess its more suited to the big spiking sessions the USA boys get into vs reducing a spindly multistem ash then. I'm very tempted by one, but I don't hate my sequoia. its a good harness, just theres a few things i don't rate on it (petzl that is)

Any of you users have any updates on these harnesses? looking to replace my sequoia soon and looking at all options. is the no CE mark an issue when LOLERing them? as a fan of August i'd like to give it a try TIA

Getting a purpose built body will cost you 5-10k. Can you weld? if so a DIY option could be aluminium planks, chequer plate sheet or GRP bolted onto a steel frame. all look smarter than ply, and will last longer

i saw those and thought they looked sketchy! Fimblesaver is what i use

Unfortunately those types always turn up at shows. I help a mate on his stand at the Game Fair, and every year a few stands get broken into over night. I think even a dog got nicked last year. Unsurprisingly it was the same, "Trotters, transit and caravan" scumbags as the ARB show attracts

Yeah as mentioned above, don't go car engine. They're not designed for sitting at 3000 rpm stationary, so will just die. a few years back i swapped out the (blown) lombardini engine in a Kwikchip 222 for a Lister Peter LP4WT 50hp. Much easier on that machine as no clutch to worry about, so i just fabbed up a new bracket to hold the main pulley block in the new location. I ditched all the complex lomabrdini wiring and just used what came on the Lister (it was a generator engine so all conveniently packed into a box). I didn't worry about anti stress as the thing was so powerful, and the rollers so Shit that it could never grab hold of anything that would come close to stalling it! Hardest part was making the new engine cover, as the standard one was fibreglass. I was going to do something interesting with it but before i had a chance the turbo blew on it after a few weeks working. think it had sat for too long. I was going to fix it but ended up selling it on eBay, as realistically my Bandit 75xp is a waaaay better machine for pulling in.

Bit far away for me, but someone will pay you top money for that I'm sure

It sounds like the customer wants you to shrink the trees back down to a hedge... I get this all the time. Unfortunately their options are limited and seeing as your not a wizard... its either cut in half, or fell. They're shit trees for a reason, and once they start shedding limbs they are rarely worth saving.

If you kept the body very lightweight, you'd still have the payload that one of the 3.5 mini lorries (Canter or Grafter) has I should think. Problem is they're rare as rocking horse manure, and cost a bomb when they do pop up! if you have to deal with ULEZ BS as well, even more!

IMO the Ultimate would be 4x4 Sprinter tipper, single cab, tool boxes